1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ink-jet recording apparatuses that record on recording media by discharging ink from recording heads, and in particular, relates to ink-jet recording apparatuses capable of performing a frameless recording on recording media.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, ink-jet recording apparatuses capable of performing a frameless recording on ends of recording media are well known (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-337886).
In an ink-jet recording apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-337886, an ink absorbent is disposed at a position facing a nozzle array on a recording head. Frameless recording is performed by discharging ink from nozzles while an end of a recording medium is located between the nozzle array and the ink absorbent. Part of the discharged ink adheres onto the recording medium, and the other part adheres onto the ink absorbent. With this structure, unused ink discharged off the end of the recording medium penetrates into the ink absorbent. Thus, the ink does not scatter easily in the form of mist, and as a result, the recording medium and the recording apparatus are not easily smudged by the ink.
FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary layout of nozzle arrays of a recording head installed in such an ink-jet recording apparatus. A recording head 101 shown in FIG. 9 is used for producing color images, and includes four nozzle arrays 102a to 102d disposed at predetermined intervals in the main scanning direction. These nozzle arrays 102 include a plurality of nozzles (not shown) aligned in the sub-scanning direction. Each of the nozzle arrays 102 discharges a specific color ink.
Normally, the recording head 101 having the above-described structure discharges ink while moving in the main scanning direction. As a result, the different color ink discharged from the nozzle arrays 102 adheres onto the recording medium so as to produce color images.
As described above, the recording head in general includes nozzle arrays that discharge specific color ink, and various types of ink are supplied to the nozzle arrays. For example, used in some cases are reactive ink containing particles that cohere with each other when the different reactive ink is mixed together.
However, when the recording head shown in FIG. 9 is installed in the ink-jet recording apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-337886 so as to perform a frameless recording using the reactive ink, the following problems can occur. That is to say, the reactive ink discharged from the respective nozzle arrays of the recording head while the recording head moves in the main scanning direction adheres onto a substantially fixed position (zone) of the ink absorbent. Then, the reactive ink is mixed together on the top surface of the ink absorbent or inside the ink absorbent adjacent to the top surface and coheres with each other before penetrating into the ink absorbent. As a result, a solid is produced adjacent to the top surface of the ink absorbent by the cohesion, and the ink subsequently adhering onto the ink absorbent hardly penetrates into the ink absorbent. This leads to an inefficient use of the ink absorbent. Moreover, if the solid is produced adjacent to the top surface of the ink absorbent by the cohesion, the ink discharged to the ink absorbent may scatter in the form of mist without penetrating into the ink absorbent. The ink in the form of mist can become a cause of smudges on the recording medium.